Business Analytics (BAN) Concentration

Why choose Business Analytics?

Major in Business Analytics (BAN) if you are interested in one of the most popular jobs of the 21st century, This major provides students with the opportunity to focus on using analytics skills across disciplines to improve business decision making and to fill a growing void in the workforce.

BAN 300. Introduction to Business Analytics Prerequisite: BAN 280. This course introduces mathematical models that can be used to improve decision-making within an organization. Topics will include analytical tools such as optimization, simulation, and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) for problem-solving and decision support in all areas of business, including supply chain networks, operations, finance, economics, and marketing. Students will make extensive use of Excel and several spreadsheet based add-ins to solve real business problems, improve business processes, and help make important business decisions. Partially satisfies University Studies IV: Building Competencies/Information Literacy.

BAN 380. Data Analysis for Business Applications (3) Prerequisite: BAN 280. Statistical inference as applied to business applications and decision making. Topics include linear and non-linear regression models, analysis of variance and covariance, time series analysis, experimental design, and nonparametric statistical techniques. Applications require the use of computer-based statistical analysis programs.

BAN 384. Data Mining Techniques and Applications (3) Prerequisite: BAN 280. Solving problems in the business environment by using Data Mining Techniques. This course covers modeling techniques such as Decision Trees, Multiple Regression, Logistic Regression, Neural Networks, Cluster Analysis, and Survival Analysis. The focus of this class is on hands-on learning of how to use these techniques to solve business problems using SAS Enterprise Minor extensively.

BAN 388. Operations Research (3) Prerequisites: BAN 280. This course provides an introduction to deterministic and probabilistic models applied to economics and business decision-making. Topics include linear programming, integer programming, multi-criteria decision making, network models, decision analysis, simulation, and queuing analysis. Emphasis on the development and solution of mathematical models and interpretation of the results by managers.

BAN 400. Big Data Analytics (3) Prerequisite: BAN 280. The acquisition, management, and analysis of large sets of data that are often encountered in a business environment. A brief overview of the use of spreadsheets for business analytics tasks. Three areas of analytics (descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive) are examined in detail using a variety of software tools.

BAN 480. Business and Economic Forecasting (3) Prerequisites: BAN 280 and admission to Cameron School of Business. Development of an approach to forecasting through the study of time-series techniques including moving averages, exponential smoothing, regression, and Box-Jenkins.

BAN 485. Introduction to Business Simulation (3) Prerequisites: SCM 370 and admission to Cameron School of Business. This course provides an introduction to simulation models as tools in the analysis of business problems. Discrete event simulation models for production and service systems are introduced through the use of a computer simulation language.

BAN 491. Directed Individual Study (1-6) Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, consent of the department chair and admission to Cameron School of Business.

BAN 495. Seminar in Quantitative Methods (1-3) Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, consent of the department chair and admission to Cameron School of Business. This course may be repeated under a different subtitle.

BAN 498. Internship in Quantitative Methods (1-6) Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, consent of the department chair and admission to Cameron School of Business. The chairperson may consider grade point average and individual course grades as they pertain to the internship being considered.

BAN 499. Honors Work in Quantitative Methods (2-3) Prerequisites: Senior standing and admission to Cameron School of Business. Independent work for honors students.

SCM 491. Directed Individual Study (1-6) Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, consent of the department chair and admission to Cameron School of Business.

SCM 495. Seminar in Operations Management (1-3) Prerequisites: Junior or senior standing, consent of the department chair and admission to Cameron School of Business. This course may be repeated under a different subtitle.

SCM 498. Internship in Operations Management (1-6) Prerequisites: Senior status, consent of faculty supervisor and admission to Cameron School of Business. The internship involves the application of quantitative and systems skills developed in the academic environment to problems in a real-world operating environment. The participant will receive practical training and experience under the guidance of the staff of a local business or government organization and a faculty supervisor. Available internships are filled on a competitive basis.

SCM 499. Honors Work in Operations Management (2-3) Prerequisites: Senior standing and admission to Cameron School of Business. Independent work for honors students.